Step 2 - Write engaging opening and closing paragraphs

WRITE ENGAGING OPENING AND CLOSING PARAGRAPHS

Now that you have a proper understanding of the organisation and its culture, it’s time to start writing an application to make them believe you will be a great addition to their team!

The beginning:

The first few lines need to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read on. Try and combine a few major points in your opening paragraph: F State why you are applying for the job, demonstrating passion and enthusiasm. F Mention the organisation you are applying to specifically and why you want to work for them (Never use a generic application for multiple companies). F Be concise and use the first paragraph to give a brief overview of what is to follow in your personal statement, a bit like the “Profile” section of a CV.

Something like:

“I am writing to apply for the position of XXXX as I am dedicated to pursuing a career in XXXX. This is demonstrated by the volunteering and work experience that I have gained throughout my degree, which I have detailed in this personal statement. I am extremely keen to join XXXX (organisation name) as I am highly motivated about your ethos of / research in / work in the area of ...”

For example:

“In summary, I am confident in being the right match for this position. I meet all the requirements in the Person Specification, but aside from that I demonstrate clear passion for the field of XXX. This is evidenced through multiple volunteering hours in this field and supported by a strong academic record. I am extremely keen on developing a career with (organisation name) and believe I already live your values of ... I feel that my dedication and enthusiasm for this role will enable me to truly make the most of the training opportunities you offer, working in partnership to hopefully build a successful and mutually beneficial career with your organisation. Thank you for taking the time to read my application, I hope to get the chance to meet you and discuss the position further”

To finish:

End with an uplifting closing statement that pulls together what has been covered and adds in any extra points you wanted to include. Personal statements can be quite dry, methodically addressing each point on the Person Specification, so use the closing paragraph to inject some personality: F Summarise why you are a good match for the job; you can include points that are not on the person specification now if you feel you want to add anything that is more focused on your passions, interests and character. F Thank the reader for their time and re-iterate your enthusiasm for the position. F Mention the company name again to show that your attention is fully focused on working for them (even if you are writing 10 other job applications that week!).